Your Challenge
Your challenge will be to create a calendar that offers exactly the right amount of touches. The right amount of communication is subtle, as it must neither be too much nor too little. Your customers will not want to be bombarded with information from you. In previous chapters each communication method will have been covered in more depth. Know what you want to achieve and then design your calendar of activities to suit.
How To Create A Communication Calendar
Each part of your plan should ultimately fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Each element can support and link to each other.
Your electronic newsletter can be used to deliver useful information as well as to
promote an aspect of your business that your customer will find of value. The promotion that you choose can then be linked to your website and links provided in the newsletter to encourage traffic. Telephone calls to update customer records can be linked to invitations to events or customer needs reviews. Direct mail and email updates can be run concurrently, enabling one to support the other.
You may choose to have different communication calendars for your existing customers and for those prospects who have opted in to receive communication from you, but have not yet become customers. You may also have special communication calendars for individual clients that you are nurturing.
Sample Calendar
This is a sample calendar that could be used for existing customers and elements of it for new prospects.
Your Own Calendar – Your Special Response Checklist
- What do you want your communication calendar to achieve?
- What methods are you going to use to touch your customers over a 12-month period?
- How are you going to ensure each touch supports and links with the other?
- What are you going to use each touch for?
- Make a plan and check out what it looks like.
- Consider what you are planning from the customers’ point of view.
- Get some feedback from your team.
- How are you going to implement this plan?
How To Use This Information
A communication calendar is an excellent way to ensure you plan and deliver your keep-in-touch marketing on time and on schedule. Study this information and use it to motivate yourself to create your own. Measure the results it brings you over the 12-month period.